Produced by Curtis Weyant
The Dare Boys of 1776
by
Stephen Angus Cox
Illustrations by R. Mencl
New York
The Platt & Peck Co.
Copyright 1910
by
The A. L. Chatterton Co.
Contents
I. The Clang of the Liberty Bell
II. Waylaid on the Road
III. Ben Foster Brings Important News
IV. A Night Attack
V. The Dare Boys in New York
VI. Chosen for Dangerous Work
VII. Dick's First Adventure
VIII. Tom Dare Acts
IX. The Brothers Together
X. In the Enemy's Camp
XI. Tom in Trouble
XII. Dick Does Wonderful Work
XIII. General Washington is Pleased
XIV. The Haunted House
XV. Dick Again Does Spy-Work
XVI. The Battle of Long Island
Chapter I
The Clang of the Liberty Bell
It was the fourth day of July of the year 1776. There was great
excitement in all of the colonies of America at that time, for on this
day the representatives of the people, gathered together in the city
of Philadelphia, were to decide whether the Declaration of
Independence, already drawn up, should be adopted and signed. In
Philadelphia, as may well be supposed, the excitement was so intense
that the people suspended business. They thronged the streets, walking
up and down, talking excitedly, and waiting, waiting for the decision
to be made, the determination that would mean so much to them.
The people talked and gesticulated, and there was considerable
arguing, some contending that the Declaration of Independence would be
adopted and signed, others that it would not.
"Look, here it is almost evening," contended one of these latter, "and
nothing has been done yet. If they were going to adopt the Declaration
it would have been done before this. The delay means that it will not
be done."
"They are taking their time to it, that is all," replied the others.
"It is a most serious matter and not to be taken up hastily and
without due thought. They will adopt and sign the Declaration of
Independence before the day is gone, see if they don't!"
Dick and Tom Dare, two patriot youths, brothers, from about three
miles over in New Jersey, who had come to the city to hear the news,
listening eagerly, were thrilled by the excitement and interest shown
on every side.
"Oh, I hope they will adopt the Declaration of Independence, Dick!"
said Tom. "I'm sure they will, aren't you?"
"I think they will, Tom. I hope so."
"Bah, they won't do nothin' uv the kind, Dick Dare!" cried a sneering
voice at their side, and turning, the Dare youths saw Zeke Boggs and
Lem Hicks, the sons of two Tory neighbors, standing there.
"Uv course they won't," added Lem Hicks. "They don't darst. They know
that ef they do, they'll git into trouble with King George. They won't
ring no old Liberty Bell to-day."
"Well, they just will!" cried Tom Dare, who was an excitable,
impulsive youth. "They'll ring it pretty soon, Lem Hicks, and they
aren't afraid of your old king, not a bit of it!"
"What's thet! Don't ye dare speak disrespectfully uv the king!"
snarled Zeke Boggs, making a threatening motion with his fist. "Ef ye
do, why et'll be the worse fur ye, that's all."
Instantly Dick Dare, who was the elder of the brothers, a handsome,
manly youth of eighteen years, seized Zeke by the wrist, and pushed
him back, at the same time saying quietly, yet firmly:
"That will do, Zeke. Don't go making any threats. You and Lem go about
your business, and don't interfere with Tom and I."
"We'll go where we please," snarled Zeke, who was a vicious youth of
about Dick's age, as was Lem Hicks also. "An' we'll stay heer ef we
want to, too, Dick Dare, an' ye can't he'p yerself."
"That's all right," calmly; "you can stay here, I suppose, if you want
to, but you will have to behave yourselves and attend to your own
business. If you try to interfere with Tom and I, or to bully us, you
will wish you hadn't stayed."
"Is thet so?" sneeringly. "Whut'll ye do, Dick Dare, hey?"
"Yes, whut'll ye do?" cried Lem Hicks, pushing forward and facing
Dick.
Tom confronted him quickly, and met his angry glare unflinchingly. Tom
was only sixteen years of age, but he was well-built and athletic for
his age, and was moreover as brave as a lion, though somewhat
quick-tempered and impulsive. He put out his left hand and, placing it
against Lem's chest, pushed him back.
"Hold on, Lem Hicks," he said. "Just you stand back. One at a time
talking with Dick is enough. You talk to me, if you want to talk to
anybody."
Lem Hicks was a hot-tempered youth also, and suddenly his rage flared
to the surface. He didn't relish being pushed back by Tom, and quick
as a flash, he gave the patriot youth a smart slap on the cheek.
"That thet, an' l'arn to keep yer han's offen people!" he snarled.
The blow was with the flat of the hand, and while it smarted, it did
not hurt much to speak of, but it was sufficient to start impulsive
Tom Dare into action, and quick as a flash out shot his fist. It
caught Lem Hicks between the eyes and knocked him down flat on his
back.
"There, see how you like that!" exclaimed Tom, his eyes flashing. "I
guess that next time you'll think once or twice before you slap me in
the face!"
With an angry exclamation, Zeke Boggs struck at Dick Dare, but that
youth was on his guard, and he warded the blow off, and striking out
himself, landed a blow on Zeke's jaw, downing him as neatly as had
been the case with Hicks.
Instantly a crowd gathered, many eagerly asking what the trouble was
about. Dick and Tom explained that the two youths who had been floored
were Tories, and the sympathies of the crowd were at once with Dick
and Tom, more especially when they learned that the Tory boys had
picked the quarrel with the patriots.
"You did just right in knocking them down!" was the cry, and so
hostile were the looks, actions and words of the crowd, that Zeke and
Lem on scrambling to their feet, did not renew the fight. They shook
their fists at Dick and Tom, however, and muttered threats, as they
moved away through the crowd declaring that they would get even with
Dick and Tom.
The patriot youths received the congratulations and commendations of
the people in their vicinity with becoming modesty, and a little later
moved on up the street.
They walked about for an hour or more, after that, and then took up
their station as near the old State House as they could. There was
such an immense crowd there that it was impossible to get within half
a block of the building. In the steeple of the State House was a bell,
and the old bell-ringer sat beside it, waiting for the moment when his
son, stationed below, should give him word that the Declaration had
been adopted, when he would ring the bell. He had been stationed there
since morning, waiting, waiting, and as the day wore away and still
the word to ring came not, he shook his head and muttered that they
would never reach a favorable conclusion.
But he was mistaken, for when evening was almost at hand, his son came
rushing out of the State House and called up eagerly and excitedly:
"They've done it, father! They've adopted and signed the Declaration
of Independence! Ring the bell! Ring it, father! Ring the bell! Ring
it--quick!"
With a glad cry, the old man leaped up, forgetting his rheumatism in
his excitement and delight, and seizing the great iron clapper, swung
it back and forth against the sides of the great brass bell, thus
causing it to do what by a strange coincidence the inscription on its
side said it was to do, viz.: "Proclaim liberty throughout all the
land unto all the inhabitants thereof."